Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was not present at the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, due to being unwell with a cold, and she also did not attend the Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

The 71-year-old was also not present at Princess Eugenie’s wedding in October due to previous commitments.

At the time, Clarence House said that the Duchess was attending a local school harvest festival near home in Balmoral.

The royal source source told New Idea: “While the whole world has been obsessed with Kate and Meghan’s feud and William and Harry falling out, behind palace walls there’s been a much bigger drama afoot.

“It’s believed that Charles and Camilla are set to announce their divorce imminently.

“They’ve already signed the papers and have barely seen each other in recent months, apart from Charles’ 70th birthday event, which the Queen made Camilla attend to avoid speculation.”

The magazine added that “despite happy public appearances” the truth about Charles and Camilla’s relationship has been made clear to everyone who is in the royal circle.

It states that Queen has ordered that the news is not made public until “Meghan’s quarrel with Kate and William dies down”.

“It’s believed the Queen wants to hold off until Meghan’s quarrel with Kate and William dies down before announcing Charles and Camilla’s divorce. She just can’t handle more scandal at the moment,” the source claimed.

The couple were pictured together at the Ascot Races in November and events throughout December.

The Prince first met Camilla Shand in mid-1971 and began dating the following year.

As their relationship became more serious, Charles was introduced to Camilla’s family in Plumpton, and Camilla met certain members of the Royal family, reports the Mirror.

Prince Charles, considered then to be one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, called off the relationship in January 1973.

Camilla had also been dating Prince Charles’ polo friend Andrew Parker-Bowles, whom she later married in July 1973.

ILL Prince Charles and Camilla will probably be at home as the Duchess recovers from a cold Pic Getty

Charles eventually met Princess Diana in 1977 while visiting her home, Althorp in Northamptonshire, and eventually proposed to her in February 1981.

Charles and Diana divorced in 1996. During an BBC Panorama interview in 1995 with Martin Bashir, Lady Diana said: “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”

Prince Charles and Camilla wed at Windsor Guildhall on April 9 in 2005.

He has been the heir apparent since he was three years old and is the longest serving Prince of Wales.

Could Prince Charles become king?
As first in line to the throne, Prince Charles will automatically become King when the Queen dies as the throne is technically never vacant.

However, the accession council would need to be convened at St James’s Palace to formally declare Charles the king.

He would be asked to swear loyalty to Parliament and the Church of England in front of the council.

In turn, the Houses of Parliament will be recalled to swear loyalty to him.

The words to the National Anthem will be changed and new postage stamps and currency created to reflect Prince Charles’ ascension to the throne.

Charles has a close bond with new daughter in law Meghan Photo C GETTY

The only way Prince William would become king is if Prince Charles chooses to abdicate and pass the throne to him.

Charles has increased his workload since 2013 as the Queen’s has reduced in what appears to be a handover of the reins.

However, a survey last April found that only 53 per cent of people say they like Charles, compared to 77 per cent for the Queen.